This invention relates to apparatus for cutting an elongated strip of material, and more particularly to a new and improved portable apparatus for longitudinally slitting an elongated strip of flexible material into a plurality of strips of preselected width.
There are many instances where it is desirable to slit elongated flexible sheet material longitudinally into a plurality of individual strips of preselected width. One such instance is that found in vehicle body repair and customizing shops where decorative stripes are applied to car, truck, van and other vehicle bodies.
Such shops generally stock relatively large rolls of decorative tape of various colors and widths, the tape typically being made of vinyl plastic having a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side, and which must be slit to a preselected width prior to application to the vehicle body. For achieving a neat and professional appearance, it is necessary that the cut strip have a uniform width with the side edges parallel throughout the length of the strip.
To slit the tape, it is desirable to have an apparatus that is easy to use, rugged in construction, yet which is inexpensive to manufacture. The apparatus must be capable of precisely and accurately slitting tape of predetermined width into strips of many different preselected widths, and preferably should be portable and hand held to enhance its usefulness.
While attempts have heretofore been made at designing portable apparatus for slitting tape into a plurality of strips of preselected widths, such apparatus have been less than totally satisfactory. One such apparatus exemplary of those found in the prior art is that manufactured by Lexciters of Auburn, Calif., and sold under its name "The Slit-er II".
While such prior art apparatus have met with some degree of success, such apparatus tend to be cumbersome to use and adjust, and do not securely fix the tape in lateral position during slitting with the result that the cutting blade tends to produce a cut strip having side edges that are not parallel throughout their length, but rather have a somewhat wavy appearance. Moreover, with such prior art apparatus it is difficult and time-consuming to change the cutting blades during use, and frequently the blade fails to cut completely through the tape and form the desired strips.
Thus, there exists a need for a portable apparatus for longitudinally slitting elongated flexible material of predetermined width into a plurality of strips of preselected width, and which is reliable and effective in use to precisely and accurately cut the elongated material, yet which is simple in design, rugged in use, and inexpensive to manufacture. The present invention satisfies this need.